The present invention relates to a system and a method for assembling and filling large telecommunication type cables at a single station in a single pass and more specifically, relates to an apparatus and method for both converging and filling of insulated conductor small pair count unit cables of 25, 50, or 100 insulated conductor pairs into large filled cables from 200 to 3,600 insulated conductor pairs.
An insulated conductor pair is two conductors (usually round copper), each typically insulated (coated) with high density polyethylene that are twisted together to form a single pair. Typically, the conductor is one of four (4) diameter sizes of 19, 22, 24, and 26 AWG (American Wire Gauge). Each insulated conductor pair comprises two of the same size conductors.
In one known prior method of assembling and filling large cables, the cables were filled at two distinctly separate filling stations at two separate locations. At the first station, small pair count unit cables were assembled and filled under pressure, one unit cable at a time, through a flood tank after which the unit cables were spirally wrapped with binder tape, each wrap was typically spaced 2 to 3 inches apart and then wound onto a take-up reel. After the proper number of small pair count unit cable reels were produced, they were tested and transported to a payoff bank at the second station. The payoff bank was typically a straight line group of 36 payoff stations located a few feet from each other where unit cable reels are placed on motorized spindles that maintain each unit cable under tension. At this station, the filled unit cables were unwound from their reels, fed through guiding eyelets and converged through a series of dies to form the larger cable after which the larger cable passed through a non pressurized flood tank where it was flooded with hot filling compound. After exiting the flood tank, the large cable was wrapped in polyester film, bound with binder tape, and wound onto a take-up reel.
Cables are filled with filling compound in order to remove air from the cable interstices and thus replaces the air with filling compound thereby preventing moisture from entering the finished cable and causing malfunctions such as electrical shorts.
The prior method of assembling and filling large cables, while somewhat acceptable, caused several problems. During the practice of the prior method, excess filling compound fell on the floor in the general areas of both the first and second stations. This spillage caused slippery floor conditions and thus a potentially hazardous work environment, not to mention an unsightly mess requiring the expenditure of both time and labor for cleaning up the spillage. In fact, because of this problem, some production down time resulted. Additionally, some of the excess filling compound spillage was too contaminated to be reused in the process and had to be scrapped.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and a method for assembling and filling large cables with filling compound at a single station in a single pass which prevents the filling compound from leaving the system unless contained in an assembled large cable; which provides a closed loop system so that no filling compound leaves the system; which provides for compound spillage falling back into the system for reuse and which is automatically replenished with filling compound when the supply runs low.